The present invention relates to a belt-type fixing device that is used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 2001-356625, a fixing device has been disclosed in which pressure contact of a pressurizing pad with a thermal fixing roller having a heat source therein through an endless belt forms a fixing nip between the thermal fixing roller and the endless belt. In the fixing device, the thermal fixing roller has an elastic layer on an outer circumference thereof, and the elastic layer is pressed by the pressurizing pad through the endless belt so as to be strained. The fixing device is configured so that nip pressures in the fixing nip is larger in vicinity of an exit for a recording sheet.
The fixing device, however, has a problem in that frictional resistance between the endless belt and the pressurizing pad increases a driving torque for the endless belt because the endless belt rotates while sliding on the pressurizing pad.